In a viral Reddit post, a man sparked discussion among viewers by sharing his story.
The post described the situation of a man who decided to embark on a solo vacation after his new girlfriend couldn't afford to join him.
The post sparked a debate on social media, highlighting the complexities of financial dynamics in relationships.
On the Reddit platform, a user, who goes by @AudDMurphy, posted a story that revealed his dilemma on his 40th birthday.
The post has the caption:" AITA for going on vacation without my girlfriend if she can't pay her way?"
A 39-year-old man who, excited to celebrate his 40th birthday, shared his predicament on Reddit's "Am I The A**hole" (AITA) thread.
The post tells about a man who was determined to make his milestone birthday special with an international trip lasting at least a week.
While the man had been financially disciplined since his twenties and had saved enough for the trip, his girlfriend was in a different situation. Despite working hard and supporting herself, she was burdened with $20,000 in credit card debt from a period of unexpected unemployment.
His girlfriend can't afford to pay for the trip
Considering her financial constraints, the man proposed a compromise. He offered to cover their lodging if she could pay for her airfare.
Given their three-month relationship, he was hesitant to finance her entire trip.
However, even with this arrangement, she felt unable to afford the additional costs of meals and half the airfare, even if the destination was relatively inexpensive, like the Caribbean.
He explained: "She then told me she didn't feel she could afford to cover meals + half airfare even if I went somewhere relatively cheap (I was thinking possibly carribean where trip flights are running typically under $500). "
However, his goal for his birthday was not interrupted by his girlfriend's financial challenges.
After his girlfriend could not afford to pay for the trip, he decided to go on a solo vacation. He explained: "So I said that I understood but I also have been wanting to do this milestone birthday thing for a while now and I still intend to go even if just by myself and would only be gone a week."
After the incident, his decision to go on a solo vacation led to a conflict between the couple, with mixed reactions from their friends and family.
His decision not only upset his girlfriend because he went on vacation without her, but also garnered pity from his friends and family.
The post quickly went viral and sparked debate on social media.
In the comment selection, many commenters believed it was unreasonable for his girlfriend to expect him to finance her trip after only three months of dating. Some highlighted that her financial situation should prevent her from going on any trips until she is more stable.
While, some offered a more balanced view, suggesting that while her disappointment was understandable, she should be happy for his opportunity to celebrate.
One person said: 3 months and she expects you to either pay for her to go on an international, week-long vacation or change your long-term, bucket-list plans to suit her?
A second wrote: I feel like that first year if she wants to join you for a pre-planned trip it should be 100% her responsibility to cover half. You are already being pretty generous. As said above it's also not like you planned while she was in your life so it's not that you planned to not include her.
While a third commented: 3 months is not enough time to be discussing a trip that will happen in the next year. INFO: in the case she is still ur girlfriend for ur next birthday, how long will u be together? will it be over a year?
Someone else said: She’s got 20 grand in credit card debt and you’ve been saying her for 3 months. She has zero ground to stand on here.
Another users added: NTA. This is totally your call. Personally, I’d have more fun with a partner and would pay if I could. But I absolutely can’t hold it against you if you don’t want to.
This isn't the first time someone has opted for a solo vacation due to a partner's unavailability.
Previously, a Filipino man, Raymond Fortunado, went viral for bringing a pillow with his wife's face on it during his solo trip after she had to cancel due to work commitments. His creative solution kept her spirit present during his journey.
Fortunado shared a video showing the pillow with his wife's face on a luggage conveyor belt, with the caption: 'You made me cry there! I lost my sadness... thank you for following me
